Grooming has more importance than just keeping up a pet’s appearance. Regular grooming is also essential to an animal’s well-being.
Skilled groomers can aid pet owners and a pet’s veterinarian in identifying potential health conditions hiding under a pet’s fur or in their ears. According to the ASPCA, “Dogs [or cats] who are improperly or infrequently groomed can eventually experience severe health problems including skin infections, strangulating hair mats and restricted and painful movement (caused by dense hair mats and overgrown claws).”
In 2022, $136.8 billion was spent on pets in the United States, per the American Pet Products Association. Of that total, $11.4 billion was spent on “other services.” Other services include grooming, along with things such as boarding, insurance, training, pet sitting and walking, as well as all services for pets outside of veterinary care.
Looking towards the future, research company Arizton Advisory & Intelligence has this to say:
<blockquote>The US pet grooming services market is a growing industry. Pet groomers must constantly adopt the latest technologies to offer exceptional customer services.
Incorporating the latest technologies can enable pet groomers to offer stand-out pet care services. Thus, constant technological innovations are driving the growth of the market by accelerating the demand for pet grooming services with better technical features and efficiency. Key players in the US pet grooming services market have also been constantly adopting new technology solutions to keep pace with the changing regulations and consumer demands, which will drive the market growth during the forecast period.
Factors such as digitalization, adoption of e-commerce platforms for booking premium grooming services, and transactional ease associated with online pet services are crucial growth drivers for the pet grooming software market.</blockquote>
For aspiring pet groomers, the quick-moving nature of technology is one reason why aligning themselves with a franchise could make a lot of sense. Franchise owners in this area benefit from having a franchisor that is constantly evolving its business system to keep up with trends and changes in the market when compared to their independent counterparts, who have to do these market and technology evaluations themselves.
An Increase in Mobility
Over the years, pet grooming is an industry that has heavily embraced going mobile. Many pet grooming franchise opportunities offer prospective franchisees the chance to run their business from a van setup.
The mobile setup allows franchisees to provide services to their customers in a more convenient manner. There are also benefits for the pets. As Furry Land Mobile Grooming says, mobile pet grooming allows for “less stress for the pet, one-on-one treatment without exposure to other animals, a clean and cage-free environment, and quicker service for a highly efficient experience.”
For mobile pet grooming franchises, the van is customized for that company’s design specifications. Most share certain items in common, though, such as air conditioning, heat, electricity, and water, so the van relies on no outside electrical or water hookups.
As for the pet grooming franchises that require a permanent physical location, many also offer additional services in addition to grooming.
When it comes to other services you can provide alongside pet grooming, the options are numerous. Of course, there are the more traditional options of daycare, boarding or a retail store component. But there are also some less conventional options, like a pet food bakery.
What Do Pet Franchisors Look for in Prospective Franchisees
When it comes to the qualifications to become a pet franchise owner, the first is obvious: Must love animals!
Beyond that, a customer service mindset is towards the top of the list for virtually all pet franchisors.
According to the founders of Wag N’ Wash, the ideal franchise candidate for pet franchise “is a community minded, pet-centric individual who is outgoing, has a fun and friendly personality, loves working directly with customers and leading a team, is able to follow a proven system, has excellent communication skills, and understands the special bond that exists between companion pets and their human guardians.”
Initial Investment and Opening Costs for Pet Grooming Franchises
The amount necessary to open a franchise varies depending on the unique business system and execution requirements for that particular franchise. The initial investment required for a pet grooming franchise can range widely, mostly dependent on if a real estate purchase will be needed.
In addition, another major source of variability across the overall initial investment range, as noted above, is for the mobile-based opportunities in the industry. For these franchise opportunities, you will need to factor in the lease or purchase of a vehicle to your initial budget estimates, as well as what it will take to properly outfit that vehicle.
Our franchise profiles will present you with a basic range for the initial investment or minimum cash required to open a franchise. But when it comes to finding out the details of an initial investment, the FDD is the best place to look. Franchisors offer itemized estimates in their FDD based upon their experience establishing, and in some cases operating, units.
Keep in mind these estimates are just that, though—an estimate. Prospective franchisees should review the figures presented with a business advisor, taking into consideration their unique circumstances, before making the decision to enter into a franchise agreement.
Ongoing Costs for Pet Grooming Franchises
Don’t forget about the additional costs required for nearly all franchise businesses. This includes expenses such as royalty fees, marketing fees, software fees, training fees, and more.
The most common is the royalty fee. Royalty fees are assessed for the continued use of the franchisor’s trademarks and patented processes, along with certain types of operational support. In addition to regularly assessed fees, other fees are charged on an “as needed” basis such as audit fees, or costs for additional, non-mandatory, training.
It’s important to note that while many initial and ongoing costs are detailed in the FDD, there are some costs inherent to business ownership, like employee wages or utility costs, that aren’t.
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